Any March 2012 RADS out there?

Hi Mary, thanks for starting the March '12 thread!

Here's some helpful info for you (and others that will soon be joining) from the main Breastcancer.org site on Radiation Therapy, including types of radiation therapy, what to expect, and how to manage side effects.

Hope you find this helpful!

--Your Mods

Begin on Monday, March 7th.  4 weeks and 1 day total.  

Thanks Mary for starting this group.  Begin on Monday, March 5th.  I am glad chemo's over and moving onto rads!  March Madness begins!

I guess I am really going to be an April Rad but I go for my radiation planning on March 19 -- CT scan, tattoo and planning. Once I have my CT scan then I will know whether I will have 16 or 25 sessions.  Don't know what to expect -- one more step ....

Moonlight,

What do you mean by a few zings?  Just curious.

Carlynn

hi all i start my first day of radiation in about 14 hrs. i still feel the bee sting sensations every now and then, so i hope radiation won't make it feel worse. after 3 surgeries, my severed nerves are still searching for each other as my rad onc likes to tell me. i've had a few friends ask if i am ready for treatments to begin. i gotta be and i am ready. i still forget my new little tattoo freckles are not eye liner liquid that may have spilled. good luck to those starting rads this month!

Hello Ladies

I had my markings done today and start treatment on Thursday.  They told me not to put anything on the skin till towards the end, and only aloe vera gel?  Yeah, and I like the no bra thing, yeah right.  Have you every seen a 38DD walking around without a bra...not a pretty picture.  I would be the talk of the town as I went everyday to drop off and pick up my 1st grader from school.   I am shopping for a good fitting sports bra.  If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.  In the meantime, I took out the underwires out of my older bras and have used those. 

I bought a sports bra - front closure from walmart -- good price but like MizMarie said they just smoosh you -- I haven't started radiation yet so not sure how it will be --

I like the suggestion that I read about wearing the shelf bra cammie inside out -- that might work for me.

Hi, I am new to this forum, but I started my radiation therapy mid Feb and will end around end of March, so I guess I qualify for this forum. I am more than half way through.  I am getting 25 regular and 5 boosters, so a total of 30.  It seems that I am getting less than most people. Not sure why.  So far I am doing fairly well, no burns, no fatigue.  They gave me this gel/cream called Radiaderm and I have been using this religiously every day since day one.  The Radiation Center gave me samples at my first consultation and I bought them online on CVS.  I am praying that I will stay well until the end. 8 more to go plus the 5 boosters. 

Califgirl -- Look into the Coobie.  Comfy, but some support too.  I"m 36D, and the "one size" is on the small side, but I've been using the "plus size" during rads. 

Joanne,

 Don't know if it's the same in Canada as in US, but my first visit was CT scan, some Sharpie marks, and one little tattoo dot and making a mold for head and arms to be sure you are in the exact same position for each treatment (about 30 minutes long in "active" time, almost all with arms overhead);  second visit was for a new set of Sharpie marks (my center doesn't use tattoos) and x-rays to be sure they were on target (about 15 minutes active time), then treatment started the next day.  They cover the Sharpie marks with some clear tape, but they don't cover all of it, so wear something that you won't be concerned about if the extra ink comes off on it, or bring some wipes to try to get the ink off before you get dressed. 

Hello...may I join? I've had my initial consultation, and I go for the simulation and plan next week (the 14th). Hopefully I start the actual rads shortly thereafter so I can "git her done!" I was DX in December, had my lumpectomy on January 19th...breezed through that with no problems. My oncotype score is 9 so no chemo for me (YAY!). I haven't decided what I'll be wearing through this. I guess I'll just have to experiment to see what works best. I have some sports bras but as someone said earlier, they really "smoosh" you flat...and I'm a small B (I'd be an A 1/2 if there was such a thing!). I haven't been able to find any shelf-bra camis in the stores that I can try on. I could order on line but it's a hassle if they don't fit or are uncomfortable. I guess going braless is always an option for me as well since I'm retired and don't have to dress professionally. I'm going to ask my RO for a recommendation for creams, etc.

MizMarie, Wow, small world!  Dr Gemmel is my RO.  She is awesome!  Dr Stanton did my lumpectomy, and he referred me to her. We are in good hands here in the Eugene/Springfield area!

where can you get Colonial Dames.  My RO told me to use Aquafor once a day for the first week and then go to applying it 2x a day in week 2.  Its just a big greasy mess.  There has to be something better....

Mary,  Thanks again for starting this thread. 

 I had partial mastectomy in December for DCIS.  We had a Mexico vacation planned for early February, so I had my first treatment on 2/29.   My RO is awesome and saw no prob with waiting until after vacation.   I asked about the shorter (Canadian) schedule, and she was okay with that, but said the longer schedule had slightly better cosmetic results due to smaller doses.  So I am going that route. 

Seven down and  26 to go.     My RO recommends Miaderm, and I am applying it three times a day.  Once in the morning after showering, once after treatment, and once before bedtime.   So far, no SE but I am still early in the series.